Bliss Reviews Making Me Nervous!

[Love my butler]

"Yes, this your typical Norwegian cruise."?????

 

Quite the opposite, I've found NCL, RCI, and Carnival fairly similar in comparison. There are plenty of free options, food is so subjective it shouldn't even be debated, there are rude pax on every ship.

 

Thanks but I can't wait until Jan., and pretty certain I won't be N&D, I won't starve to death/will not eat cheap food and yep I will encounter the self entitled/rude pax.

 

Yes. On the dozens and dozens of cruises I have taken with NCL, that description is typical. Don't know/care about other lines since we are at the NCL boards.

 

Well then your expensive cruise vacation will be worth it if you don't starve to death..........

 

That's what I always shoot for when paying thousands on a vacation. I hope I don't starve to death.......

 

Food taste is subjective, quality of ingredients is certainly not.

[beerman2]

Yes. On the dozens and dozens of cruises I have taken with NCL, that description is typical. Don't know/care about other lines since we are at the NCL boards.

 

Well then your expensive cruise vacation will be worth it if you don't starve to death..........

 

That's what I always shoot for when paying thousands on a vacation. I hope I don't starve to death.......

 

Food taste is subjective, quality of ingredients is certainly not.

 

Thanks for putting your "spin" on my sentences! Nope I go on a cruise to have a good time, get away from everyday life, meet up with friends we made on a cruise years ago and totally relax.

 

I DON'T choose any cruise lines based solely on food, or others reviews and experiences.

 

Which leads me to wonder why someone would take "dozens and dozens of NCL cruises" and despise the food and experience all the negatives associated with it.

[tjt87]

For outsiders, the general consensus seems to be that the free food is merely "adequate". If you want "good" food, you have to pay up. So, that feels like forced nickel and diming. Rivals like Princess, Disney, Celebrity, RCL, etc tend not to have that same rep for the food.

 

I've been on RCL and Princess multiple times and in my experience the complementary food on NCL ,for the most time is better, of course it's all subjective.

[Son of a son of a ...]

I read a couple of the CC reviews ... the ship is getting hammered by cruisers with an average 3.5 star rating out of 5. I’ve been on enough cruises and read enough reviews to separate the wheat from the chaff, but these reviews are sufficient to discourage a new cruiser from booking this ship.

[ceilidh1]

I am new to NCL and will be sailing Bliss in September. I have taken many cruises, with Princess being my preferred line but have enjoyed Carnival, HAL, RCCL, Disney - all have had their pros and cons. I have NEVER sailed on a ship of this size and am a little concerned about the reviews, too. However, I will take the cruise with an open mind and be do lots of research before hand. I am glad these boards are around to offer advice as there is so much that the NCL site doesn't really convey clearly to someone unfamiliar with the NCL brand, such as:

 

 

1. Freestyle Cruising - the site makes it sound as if this concept means you can do whatever you want whenever you want. Not sure if it's unique to Bliss, but it has become VERY obvious that this will not be the case and that I need to book anything and everything ahead of time if I want to stand a chance at doing certain things

 

 

2. Marketing activities as family friendly - the main draw for Bliss for my family were the Go Karts and waterslides, both of which are heavily promoted among the "family" activities. On further reading, it appears that the Go Karts are most definitely NOT suitable for children and at least most of the waterslides would not work for my younger child (glad there is a kiddie area too or we would be hooped). Laser tag I haven't heard too many comments on so hoping we are able to get on and get reservations that will work for this at least!

 

 

3. The price points - not really blaming NCL for this since the whole point of them existing is to make a profit, BUT I had assumed that the concept of this line was that you pay a lesser price for your cruise and then add on the paid activities that you want to do, rather than paying all in for something that you may never use. I LOVE this concept. However, looking at the base pricing on NCL (not just Bliss) and the fares are actually higher than I would normally expect to pay on a mainstream line that DOES include most of the things NCL charges extra for. I'm not faulting them for this - if the demand is there and folks are willing to pay, then why not??? BUT, as a newcomer to the line, it does make me inclined to agree with all the nickel and diming comments on here....

 

 

With all that said, I am looking forward to our cruise on Bliss and would likely book NCL again if the price/itinerary is right. After all, being on a cruise beats being at home/work any day - no matter how "bad" cruise food is, it sure as heck is better than making my own!

[wwwfla]

I have just read some reports from the reviews section.

This ship is not for everyone. Some posters simply have chosen the wrong ship (those who expected a relaxing cruise to Alaska).

Some posters simply don't know how to cruise on large NCL ships.

I like large NCL ships (Breakaway class). They are always in the list of my options. The Bliss is not an exception (booked!)

I have recommended the Breakaway and Getaway (you see - I have to be very certain about the ships. I never say "NCL", I say what ship) to some members.

And I always make a note: "you can carve a great vacation out of those ships".

Yes, the ships are crowded. So I won't go where the crowds go.

Pools? I know that the pools are packed with crowds unless you come early.

So I come early.

Boring food? NCL newbies need to know that specialty dining is the only way to cruise on NCL (this time I say NCL as this is a common thing for all NCL ships). So I have specialty restaurants booked. I visit included venues just to try the food - for a review.

It's not necessary on some cruise ships, but in this case a balcony cabin is recommended, as the public space per person is limited.

So I book a balcony cabin.

I know that Haven isn't worth the money. So I don't book Haven (thus no "Tears from Haven").

I don't expect a convenient use of elevators as they are not sufficient for a floating anthill like this. So I am not surprised to see them full, and do not waste time waiting.

Just two main shows for 7 days?

This is how it works on these ships. The shows are first class (at least one) but don't expect more than two.

The buffet is crowded? I go off peak.

Other than the pools, the places that suffer from overcrowding factor are bars and casino (add the smoking issue).

So? We don't touch bars and casino on NCL ships and feel pretty well.

Nickel-and-diming?

As mentioned by other posters here, you don't have to pay for what you don't need, except for quality dining. We know that. We pay for specialty dining and the spa. That's it. We don't attend "show & dinner" any more (been there many times, done that).

 

Oh my, what a miserable cruise we are going to have...?

Not at all.

All that racing & laser toys & comedy shows go to a recycle bin right away.

Drink packages follow.

The life is getting easier, isn't it?

MDR, bars, casino are forgotten (a quick check for the review - that's enough).

Next step?

At this point I too have some concerns. I know how to "make it out of it", but anyway...

 

The Breakaway class.

A refreshing improvement over the previous design.

Great food in specialty restaurants.

Excellent spa (probably second best after HAL Signature ships).

Two (!) promenade decks.

A private feel sun deck located forward (great views).

The negative impact of the Haven area is minimal (good job NCL!).

The water slides are just wonderful.

Add a good itinerary and enjoy a great cruise (yes, more expensive than average).

 

Bliss?

I had certain expectations about the Bliss. I thought it would be the first NCL ship to touch 4* level.

However...

I don't see the iconic Moderno restaurant.

The second promenade is gone.

The expansion of the Haven isn't a good news.

The forward sun deck is gone.

Per reports, the water slides are not as interesting as they were on the Breakaway class.

I did not get the joke about $200 (!!) for the spa pass (7 days).

On the positive side: the observation lounge - first time on NCL in the Caribbean.

 

The ship isn't perfect (none of the ships is perfect), and it's far from been the best ever built.

So why don't we cruise on the better ones exclusively?

There are two reasons for that:

1. Better ships are not available every time and everywhere we cruise.

2. We cruise on all cruise lines, Loyalty to a particulat cruise line limits cruising experience.

 

I am still interested.

I would like to get firsthand experience to compare the ships and decide for myself if I made a mistake or not (expecting 4*).

How the new location of the spa, new dining venues, the observation lounge, and some losses (mentioned above) will affect the cruising experience in the Caribbean?

 

P.S.

Special arrangements will be required as you cruise with a large party.

 

Happy sailing!

I like your balance. Thanks!

[wwwfla]

Thanks for putting your "spin" on my sentences! Nope I go on a cruise to have a good time, get away from everyday life, meet up with friends we made on a cruise years ago and totally relax.

 

I DON'T choose any cruise lines based solely on food, or others reviews and experiences.

 

Which leads me to wonder why someone would take "dozens and dozens of NCL cruises" and despise the food and experience all the negatives associated with it.

Plus 1!

Butler lover a troll...and a bore.

[ODMAGIC]

Just got off the Bliss. You will have a great time. An awful lot of whining and complaining on cruise critic most of which I found isnt the case. Just enjoy yourself and family time.

[4Mast]

Just got off the Bliss. You will have a great time. An awful lot of whining and complaining on cruise critic most of which I found isnt the case. Just enjoy yourself and family time.

 

On reading many posts on Cruise Critic. I do wonder as the cruise experience is so poor why people keep booking them!

[nstar612]

I'm canceling my 2019 trip on the Bliss today. Mainly because of the cost of the trip and the disappointment in how the extras on the ship are working. We booked the Bliss because we have 3 kids (ages 9, 14, and 15 next summer) and thought the go karts and laser tag would be great for them. When we booked (quite a while ago), NCL hadn't stated those activities cost extra. I did find that out pretty quickly, and got over that issue. Then, they started raising the pricing, from $5 each to $7, and now I believe they are $10 each. Not thrilled with the price increases but still generally OK enough with it. Then I started reading that unless you're on the ship and reserve times before noon on embarkation day, all the slots are sold out. That was my tipping point. For a family of 5, with excursions and plane tickets, the AK cruise was going to cost us nearly $15,000. For just one week of vacation. When I start thinking about what else I could do with that money (we spend less than that for 2 weeks in Korea, could easily spend 2 weeks in Europe for less too) it just wasn't worth it. Add on the competition to get reservations for activities, and it just was no longer worth it to me. We'll pick a different vacation for next year and maybe my husband and I will do an AK cruise when the kids are older.

 

That's not to say that the Bliss is a bad ship and that everyone would view the scheduling and upcharge issues the way I do. I just decided that spending almost $2200 per day was not a good use of my money.

 

I would not recommend Bliss to anyone traveling with kids, especially during summer break. There just isn't enough activity to do for the kids, especially on the Alaska cruise. Not many people used the pool/water slides due to the cold weather. Race track and laser tags may be fun but they are only designed to accommodate limited people. Never mind the price, you can't even enjoy them during the two days on the sea unless you make your reservation during the first hours after boarding.

[SeaportMike]

Like anything else, more people will take the time to write a negative review than a positive review of something!

[cruiselover19811981]

I agree with SeaPortMike. Most post negative, but won't take the time to post when they are satisfied.

 

We cruised our 1st NCL cruise on the Escape 2 yrs ago. The reviews scared me then, but once we got onboard, our family loved the NCL cruise experience. So much so, we leave for the Bliss next weekend. Kids are thrilled. They are 8 & 10 and understand the GoKart situation, and that we will pay for each to go once or twice. Satisfied with that, they look forward to just good old family time. Not interested in the camps, but just exploring the ship & what it has to offer. Every kid is different, but mine are happy with the fact we just get to be away and that all 4 of their grandparents will be joining this time around.

[Champster]

I agree with SeaPortMike. Most post negative, but won't take the time to post when they are satisfied.

 

We cruised our 1st NCL cruise on the Escape 2 yrs ago. The reviews scared me then, but once we got onboard, our family loved the NCL cruise experience. So much so, we leave for the Bliss next weekend. Kids are thrilled. They are 8 & 10 and understand the GoKart situation, and that we will pay for each to go once or twice. Satisfied with that, they look forward to just good old family time. Not interested in the camps, but just exploring the ship & what it has to offer. Every kid is different, but mine are happy with the fact we just get to be away and that all 4 of their grandparents will be joining this time around.

 

Ditto to what cruiselover said. Before our first cruise on Breakaway ( to Florida and Bahamas) , the reviews scared the bejesus out of me. My experience was the total opposite of the negative reviews. Already working on a family cruise out of NYC for next may as we prepare for our 1st Bliss/Alaska cruise in 2 weeks.

 

In my humble opinion, family time is too short to b---h about whats not good, but rather to embrace whats good about the cruises and spending quality time with family....and friends!

[mesci14]

Hello, All! I'll be sailing on NCL Bliss this December to the Caribbean and have been reading some alarming reviews of its Alaska sailings. I am an inexperienced cruiser heading a large family gathering and hoped this beautiful new ship would blow us away, but the reports of rudeness, boring food, over crowding and nickel and dimeing have me concerned. Is it possible that all of these kinks can be worked out by December?! Is this typical of a Norwegian cruise?

 

Just got off the Bliss a couple of weeks ago. It was easily the best ship I have been on. The service was impeccable, food was amazing, shows unbelievable. I typically don't like large cruise ships because of it feeling so crowded....but I loved the Bliss because it never felt crowded. Everyone on the facebook groups I am on for the Bliss loved it I have seen very limited negative comments. I haven't done my cruise critic review yet, but will soon. Not sure what you mean about nickle and diming because you pay for what you want to do extra so no to that concept. Definitely no rudeness experienced on the Bliss including my experiences with other passengers. The food variety was more than I had seen on any of the other cruises I had been on and delicious. I am not a buffet person, but this one was a stand out and drew me in several times.

[nstar612]

I think the point of negative reviews isn't to scare anyone from cruising, but rather to help readers pick the right cruise line and ship. You can spend good old family time on any ship. The reviews help readers validate whether they picked Bliss for the right reasons.

[Tutontow]

Okay, I have been lurking on this thread for a while and I have to finally chime in. First and foremost it doesn't matter where you go, if you go looking to nit pick you will definitely find fault with something. Even with a positive attitude there is no doubt you find at at least ten things not to your liking. Don't let it ruin your week. Try to solve it and if not move on. As far as nickel and diming, I just don't get it. If you don't want it, don't buy it. I have been on a couple of NCL cruises and for me the food was great. The entertainment was way better than CCL. The drink package was a huge perk. On my last CCL cruise our bar tab was over $600.00 for the week. The only extra money we spent was in the casino. I must be missing something with the nickel and diming. Granted we don't sail with children so the free adult entertainment works for us.

[ALPHYL]

I am glad you cancelled your Bliss cruise. I have written about many of my own complaints from a Bliss cruise July 14-21.

I too was travelling with 3 kids(my grandchildren) and their Dad.

 

I have cruised in past in what many readers on CC believe are luxury ships(Oceania,Azamara,&Regent). But this time I chose

Bliss because of its supposedly kid-friendly atmosphere. Well there was nothing kid-friendly about it. They were 12,10 and 8.

All the supposedly stuff for kids was either sold out, or had restrictions on weight and height. In your case it might be a divisive

rather than a great experience--the 9 year-old won't be able to go on either the go karts or the big water slide--and your two older ones probably will make the height and weight. Can you imagine how happy the 9 year old will be then.

 

I have so many complaints about the ship that I intend to write the President of NCL. I will also post it on Cruise Critic and Trip Advisor. The problems on the ship are not merely about the "activities". Some of the savings that the Bliss has incorporated

(like 1-ply toilet tissue) are an insult. I think people in prison at least get proper TP.. And, as you may have read, they nickel

and dime you for everything.

 

But don't let cancelling the cruise spoil your plan to have a family holiday. Yes, take them to Europe. I started taking my kids

to Europe when they were quite young. Start with the UK. I have been to London about 50 times and I still haven't seen it all,

or if I have seen it, I see it again. Do your research--I am sure that there are tons of books out there about travelling with kids to London and the rest of the UK. as well as all the online info. They will experience history, pageantry, cathedrals, castles--that

are so much more lasting than a lap on a go-kart. New foods-- if they are adventurous, or authentic food that they will love, To have lunch in a pub, or take them to afternoon tea.

 

My kids loved travel to Europe so much that all three of them now go back to different countries and cities they love with their spouses and their own kids. And the UK does not have to be expensive. You can have a great meal in a pub, or "the Sunday roast" on--guess what--Sunday.

 

There are so many gorgeous parks and places to eat outdoors. Go to the Changing of the Guard, go to see the Queen's Cavalry's stables. It is so easy to take the Tube. I haven't been in a London taxi for years--the subway is an attraction in itself. You could spend a lifetime in the British Museum (free) , the British Library, where in one room they have the 100 most famous things written. in a teeny display case you will find, on a paper napkin, the lyrics to "Imagine". If your kids know the Beatles they will have goose bumps, or, perhaps, like me, find your face wet from the emotion at seeing these iconic words.

 

Alaska no doubt is beautiful. But there are many beautiful places to see in the world. Come to my country--Canada. Right now the American dollar is worth .30 cents more than ours'. If you like mountains and glaciers go to Alberta to see Banff and Lake Louise. If you like oceans and seafood, go east--to Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, and especially PEI and Newfoundland.

 

Family trips are wonderful--and all you are missing by not going on the Bliss next year is a lot of aggravation.

[Talbot12]

We did the Alaska with NCL last August and had such a great time...are going back this year on the Bliss (8/25). I'd love to hear what your kids thought. Mine are 11 & 13. They are very excited to do the go karts and laser tag. I've read so many bad reviews also and usually take them with a grain of salt. But I'd be lying if I said I wasn't a little nervous. Mostly because the kids are so excited for these new activities. Last year, this same time-frame the staff told us there was a lot less kids due to school starting...I'm going to hope this is still true and helps a little bit with availability. I also read from someone that the water slides only had certain times they were open? My first reaction was thinking due to weather...but I hope that all of these kids activities have plenty of 'open' times to where we can try to get in. I wish they would sell kids packages online where you could customize and pre-pay for go-karts, laser tag and arcade. I've read a lot of stories about how people went straight to the booking line only to find they were sold out already. There will be some tears shed (mostly from me) if that's the case right off the bat. We'll still have a great time I'm sure...but these are definitely a must do for my boys. I'd love to hear an update from you after you get back as to how the process and open times went for your cruise! Have a great time!

[Talbot12]

I agree with SeaPortMike. Most post negative, but won't take the time to post when they are satisfied.

 

We cruised our 1st NCL cruise on the Escape 2 yrs ago. The reviews scared me then, but once we got onboard, our family loved the NCL cruise experience. So much so, we leave for the Bliss next weekend. Kids are thrilled. They are 8 & 10 and understand the GoKart situation, and that we will pay for each to go once or twice. Satisfied with that, they look forward to just good old family time. Not interested in the camps, but just exploring the ship & what it has to offer. Every kid is different, but mine are happy with the fact we just get to be away and that all 4 of their grandparents will be joining this time around.

 

We did the Alaska with NCL last August and had such a great time...are going back this year on the Bliss (8/25). I'd love to hear what your kids thought. Mine are 11 & 13. They are very excited to do the go karts and laser tag. I've read so many bad reviews also and usually take them with a grain of salt. But I'd be lying if I said I wasn't a little nervous. Mostly because the kids are so excited for these new activities. Last year, this same time-frame the staff told us there was a lot less kids due to school starting...I'm going to hope this is still true and helps a little bit with availability. I also read from someone that the water slides only had certain times they were open? My first reaction was thinking due to weather...but I hope that all of these kids activities have plenty of 'open' times to where we can try to get in. I wish they would sell kids packages online where you could customize and pre-pay for go-karts, laser tag and arcade. I've read a lot of stories about how people went straight to the booking line only to find they were sold out already. There will be some tears shed (mostly from me) if that's the case right off the bat. We'll still have a great time I'm sure...but these are definitely a must do for my boys. I'd love to hear an update from you after you get back as to how the process and open times went for your cruise! Have a great time!

[jrharris96]

Hello, All! I'll be sailing on NCL Bliss this December to the Caribbean and have been reading some alarming reviews of its Alaska sailings. I am an inexperienced cruiser heading a large family gathering and hoped this beautiful new ship would blow us away, but the reports of rudeness, boring food, over crowding and nickel and dimeing have me concerned. Is it possible that all of these kinks can be worked out by December?! Is this typical of a Norwegian cruise?

 

Hello. My family and I just returned from sailing on the Bliss. We sailed on 7-21 and we had a great time! There was four of us- my husband, myself and our 18 year old boy/girl twins and we did not encounter any rudeness. This was their high school graduation present and while they had never cruised before, my husband and I have. First time on Norwegian ( we usually cruise Royal Carribean) but we were impressed. I too have been reading the reviews and am shocked by the rudness reports. I can't say enough nice things for the staff. Now, this is a big ship and yes the extras were the go karts, laser tag, bowling, arcade, one of the shows which we didn't do. However, I can tell you that when you first board, if you are going to do the go karts get them booked as well as the two shows Havana and Jersey Boys if you plan to do these activities. They do book up and if they are booked there is a standby line and I didn't see anyone who was in that line turned away. Another trick we were told was if something was booked to call the Box office first thing in the morning and sure enough it worked for us getting reservations for Jersey Boys. Quick note on Jersey Boys if you haven't seen it ( this was my 5th time) the language is a bit strong so keep that in mind depending on ages. If that show is still running when you cruise. The other show Havana is a little milder on the language. As for eating, we didn't do any of the specialty dining options but I will tell you The Garden on deck 16 which is the buffet is constantly busy! Here's the trick that we finally figured out though- When you go there go and get your table first and then have one or two persons hold the table and the others go and get your food. There are many different types of food stations in the Garden and the food is good. If you want to do the sit down dinner, we found those easy to get into and be seated without any issue. The Manhattan Room, Taste, and Savor are all good and they do serve almost the same things plus or minus an addition but I didn't mind. No problems with Embarking or Disembarking. The room stewards are awesome and it was always fun to return to our cabin ( we had two balcony rooms) at night to see what towel art they did into animal shapes on the beds! Now the having to have your key card in the slot in your room to run the lights or be able to charge cell phones etc.. took some getting used to and we figured out to just charge things overnight or if on the ship a person in the same cabin could leave their card in the slot and be with the other person if needed to do a little charging in the day. The ultimate beverage package is worth it if you plan to have drinks! Oh, and what impressed my husband and I was how diligent this ship is with hand sanitation. They have staff with squirt bottles of sanitizer when boarding, going into the Garden restaurant, and in other places have the Germ Star which is a motion activated hand sanitizer. They also have you sanitize going off for shore excursions and returning. Both of us are healthcare professionals and give them high mark for infection control. One final tip as I see you've never cruised is to consider getting a script for Scopalomine patches. You put one on behind your ear the day of your cruise and it helps with not getting sea sick. You change it every 3 days and then leave it on a couple days after you end your cruise to readjust. Sometimes one of the side effects can be cotton mouth but having some hard candy to suck on will take care of that if you experience it. I wear them myself but haven't had any issues. I hope all goes well for your trip and please post a review afterwards as I'd like to hear. We we're on the 8th voyage and as anything new goes, there are kinks to work out but by December I would think issues to be resolved.

[roxette]

The Bliss is a gorgeous ship. No doubt about that. And the reality is, most of, or rather almost all, new ships are so called mega ships. Which in my opinion is sad. But the cost of building, and maintain, and staff one ship with a capacity of 5000 guests is less than to have two ships with 2500.

 

I would love a new cass of ships in the Jewel Class size. Like the Jewel but with the Waterfront.

 

About the food on NCL. In my opinion it has become much better the last couple of years. The included food is, in my world, at the top of the mainstream lines. The speciality restaurants are good, but not that great. We usually go there maybe half of the evenings anyway. Mostly because of the atmosphere and the much more personal service.

 

The speciality restaurants on The Bliss are really beautiful. I would compare them with better restaurants on land.

 

It's a shame though that they don't have a Shanghai restaurant on the Bliss. Whether you like the food or not, which I do enjoy much, it spreads the crowd on those ships that have one. Especially on lunches on sea days.

 

Another thing the Bliss doesn't do, or at least didnt do back in May, was to have breakfast and (sea day) lunches in Los Lobos, which they do on the Away ships. I love those, peace and quiet and the possibility to eat outdoors.

 

I'm going again next November in the Panama Canal. It's gonna be interesting to see if/what they've changed.

 

To summarize, the Bliss is a great ship. But, it is huge. And if you have +4000 people on a ship, especially the 7 day cruises, that wants to do as much as possible, you will have lines, waiting times, hard to get seats when and where you want at the pool and buffet and such. But that is not an NCL thing. It is a universal thing. The best way to fully enjoy a ship, any ship, is to take a longer cruise in the off season. Which obviously is a concern to many people because of school/work and such.

Edited August 4, 2018 by roxette
Spelling

[CruisingNole]

It's NCL. Of course it's not classy. It's like Carnival.

[CruisingNole]

I have just read some reports from the reviews section.

This ship is not for everyone. Some posters simply have chosen the wrong ship (those who expected a relaxing cruise to Alaska).

Some posters simply don't know how to cruise on large NCL ships.

I like large NCL ships (Breakaway class). They are always in the list of my options. The Bliss is not an exception (booked!)

I have recommended the Breakaway and Getaway (you see - I have to be very certain about the ships. I never say "NCL", I say what ship) to some members.

And I always make a note: "you can carve a great vacation out of those ships".

Yes, the ships are crowded. So I won't go where the crowds go.

Pools? I know that the pools are packed with crowds unless you come early.

So I come early.

Boring food? NCL newbies need to know that specialty dining is the only way to cruise on NCL (this time I say NCL as this is a common thing for all NCL ships). So I have specialty restaurants booked. I visit included venues just to try the food - for a review.

It's not necessary on some cruise ships, but in this case a balcony cabin is recommended, as the public space per person is limited.

So I book a balcony cabin.

I know that Haven isn't worth the money. So I don't book Haven (thus no "Tears from Haven").

I don't expect a convenient use of elevators as they are not sufficient for a floating anthill like this. So I am not surprised to see them full, and do not waste time waiting.

Just two main shows for 7 days?

This is how it works on these ships. The shows are first class (at least one) but don't expect more than two.

The buffet is crowded? I go off peak.

Other than the pools, the places that suffer from overcrowding factor are bars and casino (add the smoking issue).

So? We don't touch bars and casino on NCL ships and feel pretty well.

Nickel-and-diming?

As mentioned by other posters here, you don't have to pay for what you don't need, except for quality dining. We know that. We pay for specialty dining and the spa. That's it. We don't attend "show & dinner" any more (been there many times, done that).

 

Oh my, what a miserable cruise we are going to have...?

Not at all.

All that racing & laser toys & comedy shows go to a recycle bin right away.

Drink packages follow.

The life is getting easier, isn't it?

MDR, bars, casino are forgotten (a quick check for the review - that's enough).

Next step?

At this point I too have some concerns. I know how to "make it out of it", but anyway...

 

The Breakaway class.

A refreshing improvement over the previous design.

Great food in specialty restaurants.

Excellent spa (probably second best after HAL Signature ships).

Two (!) promenade decks.

A private feel sun deck located forward (great views).

The negative impact of the Haven area is minimal (good job NCL!).

The water slides are just wonderful.

Add a good itinerary and enjoy a great cruise (yes, more expensive than average).

 

Bliss?

I had certain expectations about the Bliss. I thought it would be the first NCL ship to touch 4* level.

However...

I don't see the iconic Moderno restaurant.

The second promenade is gone.

The expansion of the Haven isn't a good news.

The forward sun deck is gone.

Per reports, the water slides are not as interesting as they were on the Breakaway class.

I did not get the joke about $200 (!!) for the spa pass (7 days).

On the positive side: the observation lounge - first time on NCL in the Caribbean.

 

The ship isn't perfect (none of the ships is perfect), and it's far from been the best ever built.

So why don't we cruise on the better ones exclusively?

There are two reasons for that:

1. Better ships are not available every time and everywhere we cruise.

2. We cruise on all cruise lines, Loyalty to a particulat cruise line limits cruising experience.

 

I am still interested.

I would like to get firsthand experience to compare the ships and decide for myself if I made a mistake or not (expecting 4*).

How the new location of the spa, new dining venues, the observation lounge, and some losses (mentioned above) will affect the cruising experience in the Caribbean?

 

P.S.

Special arrangements will be required as you cruise with a large party.

 

Happy sailing!

 

Wow...how much time did you carve out of your day to write that essay? I can only dream that one day I'll have that kind of time on my hands.

[beerman2]

It's NCL. Of course it's not classy. It's like Carnival.

Nice! Just curious why not just sail your cruiseline of choice and be done with it rather than spewing the hate of NCL?

 

The negativity is amazing with those that can't see any positives.

[gkr283]

Wow...how much time did you carve out of your day to write that essay? I can only dream that one day I'll have that kind of time on my hands.

Why the need for such sarcasm? Especially when you've started a thread querying why people on NCL don't post fun and detailed reviews. They've probably become fed up with the sarcastic replies from the NCL haters like yourself.

 

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